"The base of the weapon will likely need to be Damascus, yes. Unless you'd prefer just to work off of a single weapon - that would likely be easier to find. The Damascus will be difficult to acquire, even if we're just trying to use a small portion of it to enhance the weapon. It will however add to the connection between you and the weapon. I unfortunately don't know the tales of Kenji - and I'm only an apprentice smith, so when I work they have me working with scrap iron most of the time." They had reached Sketch's current residence, and Nevin set up on the small bench that he would be using while observing the other man's slumber that night. Out from his bag came a notebook and a stick of graphite, and the alchemist was ready to begin recording. He twirled the graphite around in his hand as he thought about the other suggestion from the orator.

It was true that there were some minerals that could be used in alchemy. He usually didn't bother venturing to the mines to gather any, but they did exist. And if he could begin experiments - or if they could find a vein of that metal that absorbed liquid - he would be quite interested. Hmm. Something to keep an eye out for, perhaps. In the corner of one page he jotted down to look out for veins of green metals when they were in the mines. This began him thinking, as he waited for Sketch to take his medicine and try to sleep. He would prefer to continue using a whip - the ability to use his blood threads, while usually kept a secret from people, was an invaluable weapon. And if he could figure out how to use whips more effectively in combat, that would only improve how well he handled the magical variant. So, that would be the weapon he would look into learning how to use when he could find a teacher - he knew there was no one here in Stonevale who could train him. So, then, what to make it from? What could he use? The main body of the weapon would need to be a fabric or hide derivative of some kind - tougher than cloth would be preferred, too easy to sever.

But, combining it with threads of Plynt? That could provide the whip added resistance to someone trying to cut it - and the Plynt would let him give the whip barbs, Yes, and by keeping the barbs connected with the bands of Plynt inside of the whip, they would be able to absorb far more blood than the barbs themselves could drain. Nevin tilted his head down to hide the vicious smile at that thought. He could also always just drain the blood from the Plynt afterwards, and use that. It would be an interesting and useful way of getting around draining blood from animals and using them to make Essences - if his weapon drained blood already, who would care what he did with it? So, he had the metal - now he would just need to think of a leather or fabric to combine with it.